Machine for deshelling nuts



Oct. 7 1924.

L. P. ANTHONY ET AL MACHINE FOR DESHELLING NUTS 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 7.

Oct. 7 1924 1,510,575 L. P. ANTHONY ET AL MACHiNE FOR DESHELLING NUTS Filed 7, 1923 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 7, 1924. v1,510,575 L. P. ANTHONY ET AL MACHINE FOR DEsHELLING NUTS Fiied June 7, 1923 l0 Sheets-Sheet" 5 Oct. 7 1924. 1,510,575

- L. P. ANTHONY ET AL MACHINE FOR DESHELLING NUTS Filed June '7. 192:5 1o Shee s-Sheet 5 Oct. 7 1924. 5 1,510,575

L. P. ANTHONY-ET AL MACHINE FOR DESHELLING NUTS led June '7, 1923 sigets-sheet Oct. 7 1924.

L. P. ANTHONY ET AL MACHINE FOR DESHELLING NUTS Filed June 7, l0 Sheds-Sheet 7 Oct. 7 1924. 5 1,510,575

| P. ANTHONY ET AL MACHINE FOR DESHELLING NUTS Filed June v. 192:5 1o sheets-sheet 8 Oct. 7 1924.

1,510,575 L. P. ANTHONY ET AL MACHINE FOR DESHELLING NUTS Filed June 7. 1923. 7 1o Sheets-Sheet 9 I ".---l I I Z @zdfaz Oct. 7 1924. r 1,510,575

L. P. ANTHONY ET AL MACHINE FOR DESI-IELLING NUTS Filed June 7, 1923 10 Sheets-Sheet Patented Got. 7, 1 .24.

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LEON P. ANTHONY AND RALPH W. REYNOLDS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALWOIA.

MACHINE FOR DESHELLING NUTS.

Application filed .Tune 7,

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LEON P. ANTHONY and RALPH W. REYNOLDS, citizens of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Deshelling Nuts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for deshelling nuts.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a means whereby English walnuts may be de-shelled in such a manner as to release the kernel in substantially unmutilated, unbroken condition. An object is to provide a machine including means adapted to receive a single nut and to subject the received nut to the action of means for bisecting the shell and thereafter to so act upon the bisected shell as to shatter the same in such manner as to cause the practical withdrawal of the shell halves away from each other and therefore wholly release the kernel from the shell.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for gripping a Whole nut and for transposing the nut to and subjecting it to the action of saw means, whereby the shell is bisected between its ends ,Another object is to provide means for relatively separating and-at the same time shattering the shell halves in such manner as to Wholly release the nut kernel. An object is to provide means for presenting an individual nut to a sawing mechanism and concurrently rotating the nut. while engaged by the mechanism so that the shell will be bisected be- .tween its ends.

rotating the nut presented to. the sawing means, and to provide means for relatively shifting the nut sawing and nut holding means, and to provide means for subjecting the divided shell to a shattering action and to clear the shell sections from the nut kernel.

An additional. object of the invention is to provide a de-shelling machine including means for yieldingly receiving a nut. and

whereby the nut may be bodily shifted and presented to the action. of a sawing means 1923. Serial No. 644,031.

and then set back away from the sawing means, and in the set back position subjected to action of means for shattering the bisected shell. An object is to provide means movable from the shell shattering position to an initial or zero position in readiness for the reception of or to be loaded with another nut.

Other objects and advantages will be made manifest in the following specification of an embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- I Figure 1 is a plan of the machine in the unloaded, zero or starting position, certain of the parts being in section.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine in the starting position, with the parts as disclosed in Figure 1.

Fig. 3 isa plan of the machine with the carriage thereof in the second or nut sawing position of the parts; parts of the mechanism being in section.

- Fig. 4 is a vertical, longitudinal section of so 1 the machine-showing the parts in nut gripping position, and indicating the starting position of the loaded parts.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation, parts being in section.

Fig. 6 is a transverse se'ction approximately on line 6-6 of Figure 1. Fig. 7 is a tranverse section approximately on line 77 of Figure 1.

Fig. 8 is an end elevation looking toward the left hand end of the machine as shown in Figure 1.

Fig. 9 is a transverse section on line 99 of Figure 3, showing the parts in sawing position.

Figure 10 is a plan and longitudinal section showing the nut holding means in set back position from saws, and showing the claws in gripping position.

Fig. 11 is a plan and longitudinal section of the nut holding means with the claws retracted in shell shattering position.

Fig. 12 is an end elevation showing position of parts to retract or set back the nut holding means from'the sawing means. 106

Fig. 13 is a cross section approximately on line 1313 of Figure 10, showing the nut carrier in set-back position to clear the sawin means.

Fig. 14 is an end elevation of the parts in the position assumed in the shell shattering action.

Fig. 15 is a cross section showing the mechanism set-back position of the carriage cam.

The mechanism of the present machine may be considered as divisible into two principal combinations; one for receiving an individual nut which is to be de-shelled so as to accomplish the removal of the nut kernel from the nut without material laceration or fracture, and the other operative to bisect the nut while it is carried by the receiving means. These organizations or mechanisms are preferably mounted upon any suitable frame, which may be called a bed or table 2, and preferably mounted on this is a suitably sized motor M, having its shaft provided with a worm pinion 3 engaging a worm wheel 4, .which is secured on a main shaft 5 extending longitudinally of the frame and supported at a suitable height above the bed 2 as in bearings 6. Power is transmitted from the main shaft 5 by a suitable timing gear, which may include a sprocket wheel 7 and its chain 8, extending transversely toward the rear of the machine and engaging a sprocket pinion 9, secured on a countershaft 10.

The bed is provided with upwardly extending, transversely disposed webs or frame members 11, through which the main shaft 5 passes, and the top, inside faces of the Webs are provided with guideways l2 and also with outwardly extending flanges 13,.

the tops of which are ina common plane, as are also the guideways 12. Mounted between the webs ll for transverse reciprocation is a carriage, which may include a 10111 gitudinal bridge 14, having upstanding end Q flanges 14 with ribs 14 slidably mounted in the guideways 12.

The carriage structure is designed to be transversely reciprocated in a timed action by suitable means preferably including a .carriage operating cam 15, secured on the main shaft 5 and engaging a cam roller 16 mounted in a bifurcated lever arm 17, which is firmly secured on a rock-shaft 18, mounted in the webs 11 and extending through the same sufficiently to receive on its ends carriage driving arms. These arms are shown as of telescopic form and include sleeve portions 20 and pin portions 20 sliding in the sleeves and being pivotally mounted at their 1 upper ends on fixed pivot pins 21, mounted in substantial hub portions 14 on the carriage 14. These hub portions extend outwardly from the ends of the carriage and operate in elongated apertures 11 in the webs'll to provide for the necessary degree of movement of the carriage during and by rotation of the cam 15.-

This cam is clearly shown in outline in Figure 13 as a low spot 15 which, when engaged by the cam roller 16, permits the carriage and its lever arms to be retracted towhat might be considered the zero or starting position under the action of a substantial spring 22, which may be connected to the lever arm 17 and to a fixed part as a pin 23 on the bed 2. The main or cam shaft 5 rotates the cam in a direction indicated by the arrow thereon in F igure 9, and this rotation causes the carriage to be shifted to its full limit of movement toward the op posite or rear side of the machine, as is indicated, when the cam roller 16 is engaging the high spot of the cam. When the carriage is thus thrown to the far position, it is sustained there by the high spot of the cam 15 for a predetermined length of time, during which a nut holding means is rotated while a nut is presented to the action of a bisectingand preferably sawing means.

As soon as the sawing has been completed around the nut, which is rotated meanwhile,

the carriage is then permitted to return to the set-back position by a lower portion 15 of the cam following the high portion and preceding the low spot 15. The carriage is held in the set-back position for a pre-' that the kernel of the nut is fully freed from the sections of the shell and thus permitted to drop clear of the shell fragments.

The nut-holding, rotating and shell-shatterz'ng means.

The carriage 14 is provided with coaxially arranged and suitably spaced, substantially cylindrical boxes 25, which may be formed integrally with or otherwise provided at the upper portions of the carriage ends, and

these boxes have cylindrical bores in which are preferably arranged renewable bushings 26, which are shown as projecting forwardly and rearwardly from the respective boxes 25 and form journals for slidable plungers 27, having outwardly extending tails 27 overhangincr the top flanges 13 of the frame webs 11. 'lhe plungers 27 are designed for reciprocation without rotation in the bushings 26, and are adapted to be reciprocated by suitable means, which include means adapted to yieldingly shift the plungers inwardly toward each other.

Such means, as shown, includes a substantial spring 28, the ends of which are connected to bails 29 which in turn are pivotally connected at 30 to lever arms 31, of which one is disposed on each side of the boxes 25, and which have their lower ends pivoted at 32 to the carriage structure 14.

\ vide for the ment to the plungers 2 Each of the plungers is provided with a coaxial anvil rod 40, projecting rearwardly from each plunger, and, in one position of the elements, being supported by fixed buttresses 41, overhanging the tails 27 of the plungers. The forward ends of the anvil rods 40 are provided with concaved heads or anvils 42, and the anvils are normally thrust toward each other inwardly at the inner ends of the plungers 27, as by springs-43, housed within the plunger structure and bearing against pins 44 or other shoulder-forming means provided by the anvil rods.

The plunger bodies 27 are provided at their inner ends with cylindrical heads 45, and these are connected to the plunger bodies 27 by any suitable means permitting rotation of the heads 45 in the bushings 26, independently of the plungers but connecting the heads to the plungers so that the heads will be reciprocated by and with the plungers. Such a means is clearly shown in Figure 4 as including inwardly flanged, segmental bands 46, the flanges of which overlap the abutting, grooved ends of the respective lungers, and their heads 45. The plunger eads 45 are shown as provided with peripheral gear teeth 47, which are adapted to be moved into mesh with semi-circular, parallel, coaxial gears 48, which are secured onthe countershaft 10 at the rear of the machine, and which is driven, as previously described, by the sprocket connection with the main shaft 5. The projecting portions of the bushings 26 are slotted at 26 to receive the contiguous, segmental gears 48.

The rotating plunger heads 45 are provided with means for receiving a nut which is to be de-shelled while the carriage is in the front or starting position, Figure 1. The nut receiving means includes the yieldingly mounted anvils 42'and a suitable number of claws 50, p'ivotally mounted as at 51 on the respective heads 45,-and being normally drawn inwardly or contracted as by means of springs 52. The claws 50 of the opposite heads have relatively offset or staggered portions so that during the operation of the machine, the teeth 50 of the claws can come into V v zplripheral alignment around the nut N. en the machine is in the startin position, a nut is forced in between the yie ding claws and between the opposed anvils 42, these spreading outwardly to permit the arrangement of the nut longitudinallly and substantially coaxial with the anv1 5.

As soon as the nut carriers have been thus loaded, the cam 15 forces the carriage rearwardly to a position bringing the gear teeth .47 of the plunger heads 45 into mesh with the segmental gears 48, as shown in Figure 3. The timed position of the segmental gears is such that in one-half revolution thereof while engaging the plunger head gear teeth, the plunger heads will be rotated a turn or more and this will cause the nut to be revolved on its own axis while presented to a bisecting means.

The nut biseotz'ng means.

It is desirable to provide means for severing a nut shell circumferentially while being rotated by the nut carriers and to provide ineansso operative as to operate upon nuts of an average size, according to sorting grades, and further, to provide means operapenetrating the kernel. A form of shell severing means is here shown as including a disc saw 54, which is secured on a short shaft 55, journaled in an arm 56 of an outwardly extending bracket 57, which is pivotally.

tive to sever the shell without reaching or T vided on its outer end with a pulley 55 and this is engaged by a belt 63 extending down to and belng driven by a pulley 64, secured on the shaft 58.

Disposed in close juxtaposition to and spaced from and coaxiallywith the saw 54 is another and somewhat smaller saw 65, which is secured on a shaft 66, mounted in an arm 56 of the bracket 57., and on the outer 'end of which shaft is secured or formed a pillley 66*,havi1ig a driving belt 67 engaging a driving pulley 68 fixed on the shaft 58. From this it will be seen that the saws 54 and 65 rotate at a suitable rate of speed and are driven by the shaft 58 so that when the nut N is shifted so as to be rotated T by the segmental gears 48, the-shellwill be quickly sawed through.

To provide for the automatic compensation of the. saw mechanism to properly position the same upon presented nuts ofdifferent sizes, the bearing bracket 57, as stated, is yieldingly mounted, and its upper zontal arc, and the bracket is normally portion swings in an approximately horichine, and the upper end of the spring engages a washer 73, hearing against the rear, bifurcated end of an arm 74 of the bracket. The upper end of the screw post 72 is provided with a head 72, and by adjustment of the screw post, the inward movement of gauge finger 75, secured to the bracket 57' carrying the saws, and this finger has its upper, effective end,disposed close to but spaced from the saw teeth of the smaller saw 65, so that the lattercan rotate freely without engaging the finger. The front, effective face of the finger 75 is shown as slightly concave to approximate the cylindricalshape of the shell of the nut.

English walnuts have a characteristic longitudinally extending shell ridge or bead around each side, and in order to provide for the proper cutting action of the .saw disc 54, the gauge finger 7 5 must pass through the nut band or ridge and engage the peripheral face of the shell. It is for this purpose thatthe smaller disc saw is provided and is arranged in close juxtaposition to the bisecting saw 54. In operation of the machine, while the nut is rotating, the saw 54 cuts around and through the shell and is pressed inwardly by the spring 70. This inward sawing movement brings the smaller saw disc 65 against the longitudinal band or bead of the nut and this is cut at diametrically opposite points during the rotation of the nut, until the gauge finger 73 is permitted to pass into the kerfs or notches made in the nut band by the saw 65, and then the finger 75 engages the surface of the shell and, bearing on the same, prevents further inward movement of the saw 54.

In timed sequence, the cam, in its rotation, presents the set-back face 15 tothe roller 16, and'the spring 22 retracts the carriage 14' sufficiently to clear the nut from the saws. This action disengages theshell from the saws and also disengages the plunger head gear teeth from the segmental gears 48, so that the plunger heads come to rest.

Means are provided for shifting the plungers and the plunger heads with their clawstoward each other so as to shift the claws in a position to enable" their tips 50* to spring into the eripheral kerf, and thus 7 enable the shell ha ves to be separated from each other by an axial movement. To ac complish this inward shifting movement of the plungers 27, their tail portions 27 are provided with downwardly extending lugs or rollers 27*, and these slide along contlguous guide rails 13 provided along the flanges 13 during the rearward movement of the carriage 14. At the rear ends of the flanges 13 there are provided switches 78 in the form of flat locks which are secured on the upper'ends of the vertical rock shafts 79, suitably journaled in the frame of the machine. The switches 78 have radial slots 78 into which the plunger rollers 27 pass from the guide rails 13 when the carriage is shifted to the shell sawing position. The switches 78 are thrown inwardly, or toward each other, after the carriage has been set back to clear the nut from the saws, and thus force the plungers inwardly toward each other to permit the claws 50 to snap into the shell kerf. This inward action of the switches 78 is secured by rotation of their rock-shafts 79; these being provided with radially extending, slotted lever arms 80, which, in the starting position of the machine, Figures 1 and 6, extend straight outwardly from the frame walls 11 and engage respective rollers 81, provided on the rear ends of respective links 82, which are disposed in transverse position and are shown as slotted at 83 at their rear ends to receive the slotted levers 80.

Each link 82 has at its front end a pocket 83, extending from top to bottom, and also has in the side walls of the pocket a longitudinally extending slot 84, through which passes the main driving shaft 5. Disposed in each pocket of each link 82 is a cam 85, secured on the main shaft 5. These cams are designed to engage lugs or rollers 86, mounted in transverse position across their links 82, and which are secured as by means of set screws 87, Figure 6. Also secured on the shaft 5 are cams 90, and these cams are designed to engage rollers 91, provided on the contiguous faces of the links 82. While the cam 15 is supporting the carriage in the set back position (Figure 13) the cams 9O engage the rollers 91 of the transverse links 82, and shift these links forwardly, as shown in Figure 12, with the result that the switches are turned inwardly to the dotted line positions shown in Figure 10. This action of the switches shifts the plungers and the plunger heads and their fingers other, with the result that the shell halves are pulled apart and loosened from the kernel. The outward movement of the switches 78 is shown in dotted lines in Figurell.

The switches, in their outward movement, are designed to engage lugs 0r rollers 27, provided on the lower faces of the tail portions 27 of the plungers, and shift the rollers 27 to positions on the outside of fiked rails or guides 13 on the flanges 13 so that, in the continued rotation of the carriage cam 15, the guide rollers 27 will be drawn from the switch ends onto the outside faces of. the rails 13 and thence run along these faces to the front ends of the rails while the carriage is pulled forwardly. At the end of the forward movement of the carriage, the rollers 27 snap around the front ends of the guides 13 under the action of the plunger contracting spring 28, thus bring ing t .or starting position again.

The she l shattering action.

During the outward movement of the switches 78, by'means of the action of the cams 85, the plungers and their heads and claws, as stated, move away from each other and this movement is utilized for breaking up or shattering the shell halves. When the shell abbing means are separating, the anvil rods 40 are held against outward movement with their plungers by means of the abutments41, with which they are coaxially aligned during the shell pulling movement of the parts. These abutments, therefore, hold the anvils 42 against movement while the plungers and their heads and claws 50 pull the shell halves back against the respective anvils 42. The unyielding anvils support the ends of the shell halves and the result is that the claws, moving backwardly over the anvils 42, break the same down in small pieces and thus fully release the kernel, which will discharge free from the shell fragments and these will fall away when, if by chance, they are retained until the plungers are shifted again to the forward position of the carriage.

The switches 78 will be returned by their cams 90 to the intermediate and normal position shown in Figure 1, with their slots or mouths 78 presented along the fixed guide rails 13, so as to again receive the plunger rollers 27 on the next rearward movement of the carriage.

Means are provided for yieldingly holding the rock-shafts 7 and 9 with their levers and switches in the normal, intermediate position, and such means is shown as including a spring tongue 95, attached to each rock-shaft and engaging adjustable set screws 96, provided therefor. These springs permit the rock-shafts to be turned the necessary extent in either direction and serve e carriage and the plunge'rs to the zero to restore the shafts to the normal, idle position thereof.

Since the claws 5O swing with their plungers, it may be that the claws will stop in substantially opposite relation, and it is desirable to provide for the movement of the claws in closely to the kerf in the shell and therefore, as shown in Figure 1, the claws are of wedge-shaped form presenting acute, inner ends so that the claws will slidepast each other if in opposition.

, In some cases, it may be desirable to shift the saws 54 and relatively so that their front edges can be moved substantially into a common plane. This is accomplished by providing one or the other of the shafts in an adjustable bushing, as 66*, Figure 1. This bushing is adapted to be shifted laterally and may be secured by set screws 100, or otherwise mounted and secured. i v

The operation is as follows:

Assuming that the machine has been working and is still running, a complete series of operations or actuations with reference to one nut begins immediately after the previous nut has been de-shelled, as shown in Fig. 11. At this time the cam roller 16 is at the last end of the lower cam portion 15 and the carriage 14 is holding the claws 50 and the shattered nut shell out of line with the saws 54. At this time the slotted levers 80 are engaged by the rollers 81 and the rollers 81 are moved backwardly to turn the switches to move the rollers 27 outwardly to pass outside of the guides 1?)".

Continued operation causes the roller 16 to move to the low cam spot 15, thereby moving the carriage 14 forwardly as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 and the claws 50 are spread apart transversely and longitudinally ready to receive a new nut. The'opera-tor places the new nut in position and the roller 16 moves to the high spot on the cam 15, the carriage 14 moves backwardly and the claws 5O grip the nut as shown in Fig. 4 and continues to move backwardly to bring the nut into engagement with the saws 54 and 65 as shown in Fig. 9. During this operation the guide rollers 27 pass forwardly along the outside faces of the rails 13 and run along these faces to the front ends of the rails while the carriage is pulled forwardly. At the end of. the forward movement of the carriage the rollers 27 snapinwardly around the front ends of the rails 13 under the action of the plunger contracting spring28. The operator should hold the new nut in place to be engaged by the claws at this time.

At this time the guide rollers 27 pass inside of the guide rails 13 and as the carriage 14 moves backwardly the switches 78 are turned by the rollers 81 moving forwardly so that the guide rollers 27 pass into the radial slots 7 8.

' As the nut is brought into engagement iijeioevs with the saws the segmental gears 48 engage the gear teeth 47 and rotate the claws 50 to rotate the nut against the saws and out a slot around the nut as shown in Figs. 6 3 and 9. After the slot has been cut the roller 16 moves to the front end of the lower cam thereby moving the carriage '14: backwardly slightly and moving the claws 50 into the slot in the nut as shown in 10 Fig. 10. As the carriage moves the slotted nut away from the saws the anvil rods 40 are brought into alinement with the buttresses 4C1, the rollers 81 move forwardly thereby turning the switches 7 8 and pushing 1 the guide rollers 27". to push the'claws 50 toward each other until the tips of the claws enter the slot in the nut as shown in'Fig. 10. Then the rollers 81 move backwardly, thereby pulling the guide rollers 27" outwardly and pulling the severed sections of the nut shell apart andv against the heads 42 and pulling the rods 40 against the buttresses 4:1, and continued operation of the switches .78

under the action of the rollers 81 pulls upon the rims of the severed shell sections against the heads 42 and shatters the shells as shown in Fig. 11, thus ending the series of operations where it started.

Further embodiments, modifications and variations may be resorted to within the principle of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for de-shelling nuts, comprising, in combination, shell means, and means 'forgripping and presenting a nut to the severingmeans and for rotating the nut while presented to the severing means, said gripping means being operatlilvrilto pull apart the sections of the severed s e 40 2. A machine for de-shelling nuts, comprising, in combination, shell severing means, and means for gripping and presenting a nut to the severing means and for rotating the nut while presented to the severin means, said gripping means being operatlve to pull apart the sections of the severed shell and being-adapted to shatter the severed shell sections.

3. A machine for de-shelling nuts, comprising, in combination, shell severing means, and means for gripping and presenting a nut to the severing means and for rotating the nut while presented to the severing means, the severing means including a yieldingly mounted, rotary saw.

4. A machine for de-shelling nuts, comprising, in combination, shell severing means, and means for gripping and present ing a nut to the severing means and for rotating the nut while presented to the severing means, said severing means including juxtaposed, rotary saws. v

5. A machine for de-shelling nuts, comet prising, in combination, shell sever ng severing,

means, and means for gripping and pre senting a nut to the severing means and for rotating the nut while presented to the severing means, said severing means including juxtaposed, rotary disc saws.

6. A machine for de-shelling nuts, comprising, in combination, shell severing means, means for gripping and presenting a nut to the severing means and for rotating the nut while presented to the severing means, and means for yieldingly supporting the severing means whereby the latter are adapted to shift to compensate for variation upon nuts of diiferent size.

7. A machine for de-shelling nuts, comprising, in combination, shell severing means, means for gripping and presenting a nut to the severing means and for rotating the nut while presented to the severing means, and stop means for determining the degree of penetration of the severing means into the nut being operated upon.

8. A machine for de-shelling nuts, com prising, in combination, shell severing means, means for gripping and presenting a nut to the severing means: and for rotating the nut while presented to the severing means, and stop means for determining the degree of penetration of the severing means into the nut being operated upon, the severing means being yieldingly mounted to compensate for action upon nuts of different size.

9. A machine for de-shelling nuts, comprising, in combination, shell severing means, and means for gripping and presenting a nut to the severing means and for rotating the nut while presented to the severing means, said severing means including a pair of juxtaposed disc saws, one of which is adapted to peripherally saw the shell of the presented nut and the other of which is operative to cut the longitudinally circumferential shell head.

10. A machine for de-shelling nuts, comprising, in combination, shell severing means, and means for gripping and present ing a nut to the severing means and forrotating the nut while presented to the severing means, said severing means includ ing a pair of juxtaposed disc saws, one of which is adapted to peripherally saw the shell of the presented nut and the other of which is operative tocut the longitudinally circumferential shell bead, and stopping means operative to engage the shell to limit the inward penetration of the sawing means.

11. A machine for de-shelling nuts, comprising, in combination, shell severing means, means for gripping and presenting a nut to the severing means and for rotat- 7 ing the nut while presented to the severing means, said severing means including a pair of juxtaposed disc saws, one of which is adapted toperlpherallysaw the shell of the presented nut and the other of which is operative to cut the longitudinally circumferential shell bead, and stopping means operative to engage the shell to limit the inward penetration of the sawing means, said stopping means being adapted to pass into the notches sawed into the shell head.

12. A machine for de-shelling nuts, comprising, in combination, shell severing means, means for gripping and presenting a nut to the severing means and for rotating the nut while presented to the severing means, said severing means including a pair of juxtaposed disc saws, one of which is adapted to peripherally saw the shell of the presented nut and the other of which is operative to cut the longitudinally circumferential shell bead, and stopping means operative to engage the shell to limit the inward penetration of the sawing means, said stopping means being adapted to pass into the notches sawed into the shell bead, and means for yieldingly supporting the stopping means and the saws against the pressure of the presented nut.

13. A machine for de-shelling nuts, comprising, in combination, shell severing means, means for gripping and presenting a nut to the severing means and for rotating the nut while presented to the severing means, and means for shifting the nut receiving means to the severing means and holding the receiving means during the severing action, and then withdrawing the nut receiving means from the severing means.

14. A machine for de-shelling nuts, comprising, in combination, shell severing means, means for gripping and presenting a nut to the severing means and for rotating the nut while presented to the severing means, and means for shifting the nut re:- ceiving means to the severing means and holding the receiving means during the severing action, and then withdrawing the nut receiving means from thesevering means, said shifting means being operative to withdraw the nut receiving means in intermittent steps.

15. A machine for de-shelling nuts, comprising, in combination, shell severing means, means for gripping and presenting a nut to the severing means and for rotating the nut while presented to the severing means, means for shifting the nut receiving means to the severing means and holding the receiving means during the severing action,-

and then withdrawing the nut receiving means from the severing means, said shift ing means being operative to withdraw the .nut receiving means in intermittent steps,

and means for relatively separating the elements of the nut gripping means to pull the sections apart.

16. A machine for de-shelling nuts, comjprising,

prising, in combination, shell severing means, means for gripping and presenting a nut to the severing means and for rotating the nut while presented to the severing means, means for shifting the nut receiving means to the severing means and holding the steps.

17. A machine for de-shelling nuts, comprising, in combination, shell severing means, means for gripping and presenting a nut to the severing means and for rotating the nut while presented to the severing means, means for shifting the nut receiving means to the severing meansand holding the receiving means during the severing action, and then withdrawing the nut receiving "means from the severing means, said shift-- ing means being operative to withdraw the nut receiv ng means 1n intermittent steps,

and means for'relatively separating the ele ments of the nut gripping means to pull the sections apart during one of the withdrawing steps and for shattering the separated shell sections.

18. A machine for de-shelling nuts, comin combination, shell severing means, means for gripping and presenting a nut to the severing means and for rotating the nut while presented to the severing means, means for shifting the nut receiving means to the severing means and holding the receiving means during the severing action, and then withdrawing the nut receiving means from the severing means, and a main drive shaft for actuating the nut receiving means and the shell section separating and shattering means in timed sequence.

19. A machine for de-shelling nuts. comprising, in combination, shell severing means, means for gripping and presenting a nut to the severing means and for rotating the nut while presented to the severing means, means for shifting the nut receiving means to. the severing means and holding the receiving means during the severing action, and then withdrawing the nut receiving means from the severing means, and a main drive shaft for actuating the nut receiving means and the shell section separating and shattering means in timed sequence, the sev ering means having an independent drive.

20. A machine for tie-shelling nuts, com prising, in combination, shell severing means, means for gripping and presenting a nut to the severing means and for rotating the nut while presented to the severing means, means for shifting the nut receiving means to the severing means and holding the receiving means during the severing action, and then Withdrawing the nut receiving means from the severin means, and a main drive shaft for actuating the nut receiving means and the shell section separatemme names to this specification.

LEQN 1P. ANTHONY,

R. WFREYNULDS. 

